Steam-superheating system



June 10, 1930. T. LARREY ET AL STEAM SUPERHEATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY Julie 1930- T. LARREY El AL 1,763,241

STEAM SUPERHEATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 10, 1930 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEODORO LARREY AND LUIS GODARD, OF MEXICO CITY, MEXICO STEAM-SUPERHEATING SYSTEM Application filed November 26, 1928, Serial No. 322,031, and in Mexico October 16, 1928.

his invention relates to steam superheating systems for locomotive as well as stationary boilers; and it is primarily an improvement on or development of the constructions disclosed in our prior Patents Nos. 1,597,905, granted August 31, 1926, and 1,697,123, granted January 1, 1929.

The present improvements mainly involve the provision of a specially-constructed mulw tiple steam regulator for controlling com munication between the deflecting superheater (or, simply, deflector, as it is termed subsequently) and the pipes that feed the superheated steam to the steam chests; a special head for the deflector; special connections between the deflector and the superheating units; and certain changes or modifications in the construction and arrangement of the superheater units themselves, all as 20 hereinafter fully described. Other and further improved features are also involved in our invention and will be explained in the course of the following description. Some of these further improvements, as well as the main improvements first mentioned, may be used to the exclusion of others, and in other and different environments.

According to our invention, saturated steam from the dry pipe is supplied, via the head, to the saturatedsteam chamber of the deflector, whence it passes to a group of tubular superheater units. The latter are constructed in a manner to cause the steam to travel rearwardly through one compartment of the tubes until it reaches the end thereof, whereupon it returns forwardly through another compartment to the deflector and is then caused to traverse a second group of units or tubes, from Which itis finally delivered to the feed pipes. In this way, the steam undergoes stageheating, or in. other words, repeated or multiple superheating, because it has been subjected to one superheatingaction in the first group of units or tubes before reaching the second group where it is superheated a second time; and it is this twice-superheated steam which is supplied to the feed pipes. Needless to say, a further or third stage of superheating could easily be provided for, merely by dividing the whole number of superheating units into three groups instead of two, and making the necessary changes in the system of ports that establish communication between the various groups of units, deflector chambers, etc.

The multiple steam regulator to which reference has'been made comprises a set of specially-formed valve members, one for the superheated steam chamber of each section of the deflector; these valve members controlling communication between said chambers and the saturated steam chamber of the deflector. All the valve members are connected to be raised or lowered simultaneously by a rising-and-falling crosshead or cross-bar which is itself operated through a system or train of levers and rods from the engineers cab, so that the amount of steam supplied from the deflector to the feed pipes can be readily varied at will to meet existing requirements.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a locomotive smoke-box equipped with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, mainly on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the deflector head;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on line l-4, Fig. 2;

' 'Fig. 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of a modified form of superheater unit;

Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showin the modified unit.

eferring to-Figs. 1 and 2, 1 indicates the smoke-box of a steam engine or locomotive, 2 the boiler wall, 3 the tube sheet, and 4 the fire tubes or flues. The dry pipe 5 leads through an opening in the upper portion of the tube sheet 3 into the smoke-box and is suitably connected to a rearwardly-pro'ecting neck 6 forming part of the head of a deflector or header 8; the special construotion of the elements 7 and 8 and related parts presenting some of the most important features of the invention.

r so The deflector 8 embodies a chamber to receive saturated steam from the dry pipe 5 via the head 7 and to supply it to the superheating units 9 and 10 in the manner hereinafter described, and one or more chambers to receive the superheated steam from said units and supply it, likewise by way of head 7, to feed pipes 11 which lead directly to the steam chests and thence to the cylinders. The head is provided for that purpose with forwardly-projecting necks 12 to which the pipes 11 are connected. In the form rep resented in Fig. 2, the deflector comprises main rear and front chambers 13 and 1st for saturated and superheated steam, separated by a partition 15; and this partition is itself bored to provide a vertical or superposed series of chambers 16 which are connected by means of a special port system with the chambers 13 and 14 and the interiors of the super heating units 9 and 10. The port system, as hereinafter explained, acts in conjunction with the groups of superheating units to provide for stage heating: that is to say, the

steam is first passed through one group to effect an initial or primary superheating action, and then through another group to effect a second superheating action, and it will be apparent that by dividing the whole number of units into a greater number of groups, the steam may be subjected to further stages of heating.

In any case, however, the deflector is of inulti-part or sectional construction, the individual hollow members or sections 17 of which are substantial counterparts of one another. are arranged vertically side by side in abutting relation, and are divided internally by the vertical partitions 15 to form the saturated and superheated steam chambers 13 and 14. Their upper ends are bolted to the bottom of the head 7, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the latter rests on said ends, and their lower ends may, if desired, have some suit able supporting connection with the smokeboX wall.

The head 7 may also have a supporting connection with the smoke-box wall, and it is provided with an, internal partition 18 that divides it into non-communicating rear end front chambers 19: and 20, into the former of which the saturated'steam from dry pipe enters via neck 6, while superheated steam is discharged from the front chamber 20 to the feed pipes 11 via necks 12. The bottom wall of the head is formed with pairs of openings 21 and 22- at opposite sides of pan t-ition 18, these openings leading directly'into thetops of: the deflector sections 1'2 (see Fig. 2).

Communication between the superheating chambers 14; and 20V of the deflector and head and, hence, the feed pipes 111,, is controlled by a set of; valves 23,, one for each section 17, here shown as in the form of vertical bars having enlargements or bosses 24, the purpose of which will be explained later. These valves have a hooked connection at their upper ends with the lower portions of a set of arms 25 depending from a horizontal crosshead or bar 26 to which they are rigidly secured, the arms having suflicient length to extend through openings 22 into the superheated steam chambers 14.

Cross-bar 26, which can be introduced into the head through an opening 38 in one end wall thereof having a threaded closure, is de signed to be moved up and down parallel to itself by a lever system which is connected to be operated at will from the engineers cab and which comprises primarily a pair of vertical actuating rods 27 movable in guide sleeves 28 mounted on. top of head 7 and carrying shilling-boxes 29 on their upper ends. Beds 27 pass through openings in the top wall of the head alining with the guide sleeves 28, and th. lr lower ends are rigidly yoked at 30 to cross-bar 26 while their upper ends are pivotally yoked at 31 to a pair of rocker arms 32 fixed to a horizontal rock shaft 33 journaled in bearing brackets 34- at-op the boiler. This shaft 33 also carries a central counterweighted arm 35, and it further provided at one end with a crank arm 36 to which is connected :1. rod or extended link 37 to be operated from the cab.

It will thus be seen that when rod 37 is moved. endwise in one direction or the other by the engineer, suchmovement will be transmitted through crank arm 36 and shaft 33 to rods 27 and cross-bar 26, which latter will be raised or lowered as the case may be and will lift or depress the valves 23.

The superheater units are disposed within the flue tubes 4, and they are divided into different groups which are designated 9 and 10. The units 10 of one group are somewhat shorter than those of the other group 9, but in ot er respects the two are of substantially counterpart construction except for the dispoicn of their ports. These units may be of ious types: for instance, that shown in our aforesaid patents, the form illustrated in the second or later patent being represented in I h s. 2 and 4, or they may be of still other forms, such as that illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and T. In any case, however, each unit is of tubular construction and comprises a corrugated iuar portion 39 of cruciform section which extends through the corresponding flue 4': and is plugged at its far end. and a slightlytapered front portion or sleeve 40 which extends transversely through the deflector. The tubes proper are divided. horizontally into-upper and lower compartments in a manner an d for a purpose similar to those shown in our patented constructions mentioned, to which reference may be had for a complete explanation.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the

partition is designated 41, and it terminates some distance short of the plug end of the tube, as is also true of the partition strip 42 of Figs. 5-7, so that the steam can enter the front member 40 of a tube, pass through one of its compartments to the rear end of the partition, and then around said end into and through the other compartment and back again to member 40. In Figs. 5-7, however, the partition 42 has a'somewhat cruciform shape in section, and it is riveted to the cruciform body part 39 of the tube by bolts 43, the heads of which are covered by electric weld strips 44. The mouth of this tube has a welded closure plate45 which masks onehalf thereof and to which the front end of the partition is secured (Figs. 5 and 6), and in both cases the superheater tubes or units are held. in place in their respective flues by suitable supports 46. The plugs of the two units are indicated at 47 and 48, and similar closure plates 45 are also employed in the first form of tubes. The units are, of course, removable from the flues, and the sleeves 40 are detachable therefrom and from the deflector sections 17, whereto they are secured by suitable clamping nuts or the like.

It has already been stated that the partitions 15 in the deflector sections 17 are bored to form a superposed set or series of chamhers 16. These chambers are devoid of com munication with one another, being separated by partition walls 49 represented in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which are slightly inclined; and through each chamber extend the sleeve portions 40 of a pair of adjacent superheater units 9 and 10, the height of the chambers being such that they project both above and below the sleeves (Fig. 2).

The port system previously mentioned involves a pair of ports formed in the sleeve member-40 of each unit in both groups 9 and 10, which ports open into the chambers 13, 16 and 14; the latter chamber being intersected by the vertical bars or valves 23. In the case of the tubes or units of group 9, the sleeve 40 of each is provided with upper and lower ports 50 and 51 which are so arranged that he first or inlet port 50 opens into the saturated steam chamber 13, while thesecond or outlet port 51 opens into the corresponding chamber 16 in partition 15. The sleeves of the group 10 are likewise provided each with two ports 52 and 53, the inlet ports 52 opening into chambers 16 (which may, therefore, be regarded as intermediate chambers) and the outlet ports 53 opening into the superheated steam chamber 14. The front or outlet ports 53, however, extend entirely' through the sleeves. and through these double ports the valve bars 23 pass,- with their projecting bosses or enlargements 24 arranged therein so as to open or close saidports according asthe valves move in one or the other direction.

It will be apparent, therefore, from the units are the only ones disposed within this chamber 13, the steam passing through said chamber will only enter the tubes 9; the sald ports 50 opening into the upper of the two horizontal compartments formed by partitions 41. It then travels in a rearward direction through the compartment until it reaches 0 the rear end of the partition, around which it passes, and then enters and passes forwardly through outlet port 51 into the corresponding intermediate chamber 16 of partition 15;

this being true of all the units or tubes of group 9.

A. has already been explained, a pair of companion tubes 9 and 10 is connected to each chamber 16; and since the inlet ports 52 of all the tubes 10 open into these chambers 16, it follows that the superheated steam discharged thereinto from tubes 9 will be delivered through ports 52 into'the lower compartments of tubes 10 and will traverse the latter first rearwardly and then forwardly in the same way as before, finally making its exit through ports 53 into the composite superheated steam chamber 14 of the deflector. In consequence, the steam is twice subjected to a super-heating action, each time in a different group of tubes, before it is delivered to the chamber 20 of the head 7 and supplied therefrom to the feed pipes.

The amount of steam which enters the chamber 14 of the deflector from the secondstage superheating tubes or units 10 is controlled by the valve bars 23 which, as previously stated, are capable of vertical movement in either direction. The bosses or enlargements 24 of these bars are so positioned as to lie in the double outlet ports 53 of the tubes or units 10, in view of which fact these bosses will completely close said ports when the bars occupy one position, and will open them when said bars are moved downward. The extent of movement may, of course, be regulated at will by means of the operating train or connection leading to the cab.

It will be understood that the deflector sec tions 17 can be detached individually from the deflector and the head 7 for inspection and, in the event of injury, can be repaired or replaced by new ones without disturbing either the remaining sections or the deflector head. tates the construction and installation of the deflector, as well as its dismantling, should occasion therefor arise.

lVe claim as our invention 1. In a steam superheating system, a de- This sectional formation also faciliflector; a part 1119 the .sar e a; chamber into; mediate the aving an intern rst-nanied Clltlllil.i(?fi-?; a plural rate roups of tubular super "l to y of sepaeating units the iiQl'iQCiOl; means for supplyto the sa iratcd steam chamber; means est blishing communication between all the units of one oup and. the saturated steam a (i intermediate chambers, to enable said units to receiv from the l'orli'icr and supply it the latter utter having been superheated; separate nicans establishing cominuuica(ion between all. the units oil a second and said intermediate and superheated in chambers, to enable the second group oi units to receive superheated from the ermediate chamber and s l L J it to id superheated steam chamber a'leer having been superheated a second time; means wor in the superheated i r to regulate the of steam therein" out; from the second gr up or superheater ii and means to .scharg'e the tWlO-F l11?Oi'l1Cfi' 'CLl steam ior use.

2. A steam superheating system, according to claim 1, in which the regulating means comprises a set of valves, one for each unit of the second group, operating in conjunction with outlets provided for said units to open and close said outlets.

3. i steam superheating system, according to claim 1, in which a head is mounted on the deflector pro itled with internal saturated and superheated steam chambers which are devoid of direct communication with each other but are in constant, unre tricted com munication, respectively, with the source of saturated steam supply and the saturated steam chamber of the deflector, and with the superheated steam chamber of said deflector and the discharge means for the twicc-saturated steam.

4. In a steam super-heating system, a deflcctor; a partition within the deflector dividing the same into separate chambers for saturated and superheated steam, said partition being formed internally with a series of intermediate chambers which are devoid of direct connnunication with one another and with the first-named chambers; a plurality of separate groups or tubular superheating units connected to the deflector all said groups containing the same number of units, and each unit of one group having definitely arsociated with it a unit of a second group, each such pair of associated units intersecting an intermediate chamber; means for supplying saturated steam to the saturated steam chamber; means establishing communication be tween each unit of the first group and the saturated steam chamber to receive saturated steam from the latter to be superheated;

:ated steam means within each intermediate chamber establishing communication between the portions of the two associated units of the first and second groups lying therein, to enable superheated steam from the unit of the first group to be supplied therefrom to the unit of the second group to undergo a second super-heating action; means establishing coinnninication between each unit of the seconc group and the superheated steam chamber to supply the twice-superheated steam from the former to the latter; a set of valves, one for each supcrheating unit of the second group, arranged in the superheated steam chamber of the deflector to regulate the entry of steam from said units to said chamber; and means to discharge said twice-superheated steam for use.

5. In a steam superheating system, a multipart deflector comprising a plurality of hollow sections arranged vertically side by side in abutting relation, each. section having a vertical partition within it which divides it into saturated and superheated steam chambers devoid of direct communication with each other, the partition itself being formed internally with a vertical series of intermediate chambers which are devoid of direct cormnunication with one another and with the first-named chambers; a plurality of tubular superheating units connected to each section 01" the deflector and extending through the several chambers thereof, certain units of each section having ports providing communication between those units and the saturated steam and intermediate chambers of the respective section to enable said units to receive steam from the former chamber and supply it to the latter chamber after having been superheated, and the remaining units of each section having ports which provide communication between them and the intermediate and superheated steam chambers of the respective section to enable previously super-- heated steam to be supplied to said remaining units to undergo a second superheating action and then be delivered to said superheated steam chamber; and a set of valves, one for each deflector, disposed in the superheated steam chamhers of the sections to regulate the entry of the twice-superheated steam thereinto.

6. A steam superheating system, accord ing to claim 5, in which means are provided "for operating all the regulating valves in 111115011,

7. In a steam superheating system, a deflector comprising a plurality of coordinate sections each having separate internal chambers for saturated and superheated steam; a plurality of superheating units connected to each deflector section and in port communication with the chambers thereof to receive saturated steam from one chamber and discharge it to the other chamber after having been superheated; and a multiple steam regulator operating simultaneously in the superheated steam chambers of all the deflector sections to control the entrance of superheated steam thereinto from the superheating units.

8. A steam superheating system, accord ing to claim 7, in which the steam regulator comprises a set of valves, one for each defiector section, a cross-head whereto they are connected, a rockshaft wherefrom the crosshead is suspended, and means for operating said shaft from a distance.

9. A steam superheating system, according to claim 7, in which the chambers of each defiector section are vertically disposed, and the superheating units associated with each section are arranged one above another; and in which the steam regulator comprises a set of vertical valve bars, one for each section, arranged in the superheated steam chambers of the sections for coaction with all the superheating units discharging into the respective section, and means for operating all the valve bars in unison.

10. A steam superheating system, accord ing to claim 7 in which the chambers of each deflector section are vertically disposed, and the superheating units associated with each section are arranged one above another, with the discharge ports of certain of said units in vertical alinement; and in which the steam regulator comprises a set of vertical valve bars, one for each section, arranged in the superheated steam chambers of the respective sections and extending through the alining discharge ports of the corresponding units to control the discharge of superheated steam therethrough into said chambers, and means for operating all the valve bars in unison.

11. A steam superheating unit, comprising a longitudinally-corrugated tube; a sleeve secured on the front end of the tube and provided with laterally-oifset ports in its top and bottom portions, one of said ports extending vertically entirely through the sleeve; a partition within said tube and sleeve extending almost the entire length thereof and dividing the interior of the same into upper and lower horizontal compartments which open into each other at their rear ends and into which the upper and lower ports respectively open; and a valve member slidable endwise through the port which extends entirely through the sleeve to open and close that ort. p 12. A steam superheating unit, comprising a tube having a part of cruciform section; a sleeve secured on the front end of the tube and provided with laterally-ofiset ports in its top and bottom portions; a partition within said tube and sleeve extending almost the entire length thereof and dividing the interior of the same into upper and lower horizontal compartments which open into each other at their rear ends and into Which the upper and lower ports respectively open, said partitlon havlng a portion of cruciform section which is coextensive with and interfits,

the cruciform portion of the tube; and bolts passing through said interfitting portions to 

